Peter Kruder is a legend in the electronic music scene. As one half of the Vienna-based legacy act Kruder and Dorfmeister, his name is synonymous with outstanding sound production and his unique taste and style of DJ sets.
Photo Credit: Olga Latowa / Oliver Jizda
Kruder and Dorfmeister’s ‘DJ Kicks’ and ‘K&D Sessions’ are considered pioneering in electronic music and helped formulate the sound that became known as “downtempo.” This genre showed that electronic music did not have to be confined to cold sounds and metallic beats but could embody sensuality and deep soulfulness. The magic Kruder and Dorfmeister sound has a longevity and highly influential legacy that shows no signs of fading.
In parallel to his partnership with Dorfmeister, Kruder has always followed his solo projects, producing albums such as ‘Peace Orchestra’ and working with other artists like Bebel Gilberto and DJ Hell. He has released various singles under his own name on labels such as Gigolo Records, Macro, 2DIY4, and the Compost Black Label. Kruder has been spinning professionally since 1990, with almost three decades of club experience nurtured by legendary gigs worldwide. He is now internationally known for impeccably mixed and originally selected DJ sets. As he told us regarding his mixing from back in the day to nowadays, “From the standpoint of the music I select to play, it was always a broad spectrum of music I’d like to incorporate in my sets. That has not changed. From a technical point of view, a lot has changed with music going digital and the possibilities you have now with looping, different start points, and all the cool effects you can use now.”
Downtempo is a subgenre of electronic music that emphasizes atmosphere and slower beats. It encompasses several sub-genres, including trip-hop, ambient house, chillwave, psybient, and lo-fi hip-hop. Each sub-genre brings its unique flavor to the downtempo genre, with trip-hop using sampled instruments and ambient house characterized by synthesizers and more dance-friendly arrangements. While the tempo of downtempo can be hard to quantify, most tracks being released are within a 90 – 110 BPM range, with some styles and sub-genres going as low as 60-90bpm.
Kruder’s importance in the downtempo genre cannot be overstated. He has been instrumental in shaping the sound of electronic music, helping to make it a genre that can be both danceable and soulful. Kruder and Dorfmeister’s ‘K&D Sessions’ is a classic and highly influential album that has sold more than one million copies worldwide. Kruder’s solo work and remixes have also been highly acclaimed, and his live performances are legendary.
Peter’s new album with Roberto Di Gioia, titled ‘——–’ is highly anticipated, and he recently made an exclusive mix for our EGLO Series. Kruder rarely does mixes like this, and it shows his commitment to his craft and his dedication to the genre. In our conversation with him, he added, “When I started djing in 1983 you played whatever you had in your crate, and it was literally a crate because record boxes as we know them now haven’t been invented yet. 🙂 The journey back then was from funk and disco to new wave to rock to psychedelic tripped-out bits you found on a record and everything in-between. Basically, anything that had a groove that makes you want to dance. My approach to this mix was similar, but for Electronic Groove I wanted to keep it more mind dancing than feet dancing.”
Peter Kruder is a true artist and visionary, and his contributions to the world of electronic music will be felt for generations to come.
Listen to Peter Kruder’s EGLO mix below.
